Lucid dreaming app triples users’ awareness in dreams, study finds
In a recent study published in Consciousness and Cognition, researchers at Northwestern University showed that a smartphone app using sensory cues can significantly increase the frequency of lucid dreams—dreams in which a person is aware they are dreaming while still asleep. This study marks the first attempt to apply a lucid-dreaming method called Targeted Lucidity Reactivation outside of a lab environment, demonstrating that even a simple at-home approach can help users experience more lucid dreams. Lucid dreaming has drawn increasing public interest for its potential benefits, including enhancing creativity, overcoming nightmares, and providing a space for personal growth and skill practice. Traditional techniques for inducing lucid dreams involve cognitive exercises, such as keeping a dream journal, performing reality checks, and practicing intention-setting before sleep. Although these techniques can be effective, they require significant dedication and consistency. A streamlined, at-home approach could make lucid dreaming more accessible to the general public. The researchers wanted to explore whether a simplified, app-based approach using Targeted Lucidity Reactivation—a method previously successful in a controlled lab setting—could be adapted for …